Sunday, December 27, 2020

FORM Goggle Review

    Retail $199

FORM swim goggles are a swimmer/triathlete tool that qualifies under the "want" category. These goggles are a fun way to track swimming metrics in a way that keeps the information easy to read and access. 

Pros:

  • Quick feedback of stats "during" and at "rest". 
  • Profile kept water out of eyes

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Only tracks swim metrics



The display can be adjusted after syncing your goggles to an app on your phone. You can choose to see two metrics at any given time, distance, pace, strokes, etc. You have three choices for viewing data, 1) while swimming, 2) after the turn, and 3) during the rest cycle. One caveat is that you can only see the metrics that you have set up on the app, meaning further information is not available until the session is completed. After you finish your swim, the tracking data is synced to your app where you can examine the information. 

For example. My goggles are set to show Lap Time and Lap Pace during the swim. At the turn, I see Split Time and Lap Distance. At rest, I see Rest Time and Total Distance. 

Additionally, the goggles come with varying bridge connectors to help fit the goggles to your individual face. The goggles will default to display on your right eye but can be flipped to read on the left side. The module is non-obtrusive and doesn't stand out to other swimmers as odd. 

Special Note: These goggles are NOT legal for competitive swimmers or triathletes during races. 

Overall, the goggles are a fun accessory to your swimming toolkit. If you are a serious swimmer looking for the next fun toy, dive in with a pair of FORM goggles!


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Find your Motivation

With the Covid virus entering our lives in March of 2020, we've seen both local and national races postponed and eventually cancelled. What is an athlete to do without a finish line in sight?!?

Personally, I had two Ironman races that I chose to postone to fall races. As of today, both races, IMTX at Waco and IMFL have NOT been cancelled. As an athlete, I can choose to 

  1. Continue training at a high level of intensity to achieve my goal of a personal best finish, 
  2. Modify training load and intensity while remaining consistent in all three disciplines,
  3. Assume cancellation is eminent and forego training.

If your races have all been cancelled/postponed for 2020, you will have similar choices to make. This could be a good time to work on body composition and strength training because you will not require time and recovery for those longer endurance sessions. 

Most importantly, stay consistent. Exercise benefits your overall health, including mental clarity and balanced hormone levels. Choose to remain consistent in your workout regimen and improve your weaknesses. 


Sunday, January 26, 2020

A New Approach

Insanity - doing the same thing but expecting a different outcome

After more than 10 years of triathlon, I have decided to take my training to a new level. I want to achieve new goals, and to achieve them, I need to make some changes to the way I approach training.

Starting in August 2019, I began using TriDot to design my training plan. I started slowly but quickly became engaged in earning higher scores on each workout. TriDot uses data to reflect, predict, and prescribe intensities to improve performance while continuing to allow balance and time for recovery. Initially I struggled with slower, zone 2 heart rate efforts but because of the scoring system, remained invested. I have noticed continued progress on SBR assessments and look forward to seeing what I can achieve this year!

I was accepted as an ambassador for the 2020 season and look forward to attending the triathlon camp in Austin in February.